National Cheesecake Day is a food holiday that falls annually on July 30th. The observance, which is part of a surprisingly large tradition of food holidays, has not been officially endorsed by any presidents, and does not have any congressional records to solidify its claim. but this certainly does not stop thousands and maybe even millions of people from across the country from celebrating the decidedly delicious holiday. There certainly is no reason that cheesecake should not have its own holiday. Records of cheesecake date as far back as 770 BC, when the dessert, or something like it at least, was served to Olympic athletes.

Joining in the fun on National Cheesecake Day is simple. The only requirement is the hearty consumption of cheesecake. Enjoy the day with a piece of cheesecake, along with your favorite topping. If you have time, make the cheesecake yourself but, if you don't, stop into The Cheesecake Factory. They are helping patrons celebrate the event by offering slices of its creamy, delectable cheesecake for just $1.50. Note, however, that the low price is only applicable with dine-in service, and guests are also limited to one slice each.

Today, it seems as if everyone has their own take on how cheesecake should be baked. Whether New York or Philadelphia style, baked or no-baked, cheesecake is king when it comes to desserts. Cheesecake can also be flavored in a huge variety of ways, but chocolate or strawberry remain the popular national favorites followed by pumpkin cheesecake.

Cheesecakes can be broadly categorized into two basic types - baked and unbaked - and each comes in a variety of styles determined by region. In the United States, there are two big contenders for the cheesecake crown, one being New York style cheesecake, which is very heavy and rich and features cream cheese, heavy cream, and many other fattening ingredients. The other popular cheesecake is Philadelphia style cheesecake which is generally considered to be creamier and also lighter than the New York style cheesecake, but certainly does not skimp on the fattening ingredients.

Almost all modern cheesecakes in the United States use cream cheese; in Italy, cheesecakes use ricotta; Germany and Poland use quark cheese. The type of cheese not only affects texture and taste but the ability to incorporate certain types of ingredients. When cheesecake batter is too thin, many cheesecakes will not be structurally sound and fall apart at the table. One way to get around this is to use unflavored gelatin or a little cornstarch beaten with the eggs.

A common difficulty with baking cheesecakes is its tendency to "crack" when cooled. This is due to the coagulation of the beaten eggs in its batter. There are various methods to prevent this. One method is to bake the cheesecake in a hot water bath to ensure even heating. Other methods include blending a little cornstarch into the batter or baking the cheesecake at a lower temperature and slow cooling it in the oven, turned off, with the door ajar. If these methods fail, a common practice is to cover the top of the cheesecake with toppings such as fruit, whipped cream, or cookie crumbs. Despite their name, cheesecakes are technically tarts; the word 'cake' was formerly applied to a much broader category of foods than it is today.